Savage dogs back in Sitapur, 4 kids mauled

LUCKNOW: In a painful reminder of last year’s attacks, four children were brutally injured by dogs in Tambore area of Sitapur on Thursday evening. The incident brought back horrifying memories of feral attacks last March when 15 children died and 50 injured.
After Thursday’s incident, villagers killed a dog and hid its carcass. They claimed that it was the same time last year when dogs had been on the rampage in Sitapur but the administration had taken no measures.On March 17 this year, Priyanshu (5) was mauled to death by dogs in Mahmudabad area of Sitapur. Even then, the administration was indifferent, they alleged.
According to the police, the attack took place at Shirsha Tola village. The children, Shaad (4), Ruhi (5), Faizan (9) and his sister Adiba (2), were playing barely 500 meters from their house in the evening. Suddenly, two stray dogs first attacked Adiba, at which Faizan tried to draw their attention. The dogs then overpowered him and pinned him to the ground. Shaad then tried to kick a dog but slipped. The dogs attacked him too. In the meantime, Ruhi tried to flee but was also attacked.
As she screamed loudly, villagers rushed to the spot. They pulled away the dogs with sticks but the four children had been brutally injured. The villagers thrashed one dog till it died and buried its carcass, said the police.
Later, UP 100 was informed and the children were sent to a local government hospital.
Faizan’s father Mohammed Iqbal told TOI that the dogs had caused injuries to the neck, face and abdomen of his two children. “My son said they were wild and fierce,” he added. Ruhi’s father Suhail Siddiqui said this had happened last year too but the administration had turned a blind eye. “We will begin a hunger strike if the menace of dogs is not tamed,” he told TOI. Biswan circle officer SN Chaudhary said, “We have not got any written complaint from the families of the victims.”The injured children are out of danger.
DM Sitapur Akhilesh Tiwari told TOI a team of doctors and forest officials was probing the case. Police have been instructed to prepare a report while all measures have been taken to deal with the menace, he said. “Village communities have been alerted. After nominations are over, we will visit vulnerable areas,” he said..